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  1. Data Collection Methods
  2. Soils
  3. Soil Descriptions
  4. Lajas Experimental Station NEON (LAJA) Soil Descriptions

Lajas Experimental Station NEON (LAJA) Soil Descriptions

Distributed Soils Reports

Pedon Descriptions

Pit‐level observations and field measurements reported using the standard NRCS format. They contain volume estimates for coarse fragments > 20 mm where applicable.

Download

Site Level Plot Summary

A narrative summary that places the sampled soil pedons in the broader context of soils and geomorphology for the entire NEON site.

Download

Megapit Images

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 0-190 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 90-190 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 0-46 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil 19-64 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 52-92 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 75-117 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 106-146 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 139-178 cm

soil profile

D04 LAJA megapit soil profile 158-183 cm

Download All Images

Megapit Pedon Description

Print Date Apr 8 2015
Description Date Apr 8 2014
Describer Matos, Manuel
Site ID S2014PR079001
Site Note Pedon description to support the Caribbean Basin NEON Project under the National Science Foundation. Local contact is Yamil Toro from San Juan, PR and science protocol contact is Rommel Zulueta from Colorado, USA.
Pedon ID S2014PR079001
Lab Source ID KSSL
Lab Pedon # 14N0430
Soil Name as Correlated Cartagena
Classification Fine, mixed, superactive, isohyperthermic Sodic Haplusterts
Pedon Type undefined observation
Pedon Purpose research site
Taxon Kind series
Associated Soils Aguirre, Fraternidad, Guanica, Jacana, Santa Isabel
Physiographic Division Caribbean Basin
Physiographic Province Caribbean Islands Province
Physiographic Section Greater Antilles (Puerto Rico)
Local Physiographic Area Lajas Valley
Geomorphic Setting on talf None Assigned
Upslope Shape linear
Cross Slope Shape linear
Particle Size Control Section 25 to 100 cm.
Description origin NASIS
Country United States
State Puerto Rico
County Lajas
MLRA 271 -- Semiarid Mountains and Valleys
Soil Survey Area PR787 -- San German Area, Southwestern Puerto Rico
Quad Name San German, Puerto Rico
Std Latitude 18.0218444
Std Longitude -67.0760833
Latitude 18 degrees 1 minutes 18.64 seconds north
Longitude 67 degrees 4 minutes 33.90 seconds west
Datum WGS84
UTM Zone 19
UTM Easting 703677 meters
UTM Northing 1993661 meters
Primary Earth Cover Grass/herbaceous cover
Secondary Earth Cover Tame pastureland
Parent Material Tame pastureland
Description database KSSL
Diagnostic Features mollic epipedon 0 to 83 cm.
slickensides 27 to 107 cm.
gypsum accumulations 55 to 145 cm.
salt accumulations 55 to 107 cm.
redox concentrations 83 to 203 cm.
abrupt textural change 107 to 164 cm.
redox depletions with chroma 2 or less 145 to 203 cm.
strongly contrasting particle size class 164 to 176 cm.
abrupt textural change 164 to 176 cm.
abrupt textural change 176 to 203 cm.
Slope (%) 1.0
Elevation (meters) 40.0
Aspect (deg) 225
MAAT (C) 25.0
MAP (mm) 100
Drainage Class moderately well
Horizon Details

Ap--0 to 27 centimeters (0.0 to 10.6 inches); clay, black (10YR 2/1) broken face, moist; strong fine subangular blocky parts to strong medium granular, and strong fine subangular blocky parts to strong coarse granular structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; many medium moderate-continuity interstitial and many fine moderate-continuity interstitial pores; 2 percent distinct pressure faces on vertical faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear wavy boundary. Lab sample # 14N02432

ABss--27 to 55 centimeters (10.6 to 21.7 inches); clay, black (10YR 2/1), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common very fine roots throughout and common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular and common fine moderate-continuity vesicular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02433

Bssyz--55 to 83 centimeters (21.7 to 32.7 inches); clay, 75 percent very dark brown (10YR 2/2) and 25 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; very hard, extremely firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity vesicular and common very fine moderate-continuity vesicular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 1 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02434

Bkssyz--83 to 107 centimeters (32.7 to 42.1 inches); clay, 90 percent dark yellowish brown (10YR 4/4) and 10 percent very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 5 percent prominent slickensides (pedogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine distinct spherical manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 1 percent medium distinct spherical manganese masses throughout and 2 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent fine prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 5 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 5 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 5 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; slight effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02435

2Bky--107 to 145 centimeters (42.1 to 57.1 inches); sandy clay, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, firm, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; medium toughness; moderate penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 10 percent fine prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, masses of oxidized iron with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 10 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 10 percent medium distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout; 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters and 1 percent fine prominent 10YR 8/1), moist, gypsum masses and 1 percent fine prominent gypsum crystal clusters; slight effervescence, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; clear smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02436

2C--145 to 164 centimeters (57.1 to 64.6 inches); sandy clay loam, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; slightly hard, very friable, slightly sticky, moderately plastic; low toughness; moderate penetration resistance; moderate excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 1 percent medium prominent 10Y 4/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 4/6), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 5 percent coarse distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout; 1 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; abrupt smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02437

3C--164 to 176 centimeters (64.6 to 69.3 inches); sandy loam, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; loose, very friable, nonsticky, nonplastic; low toughness; low penetration resistance; low excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 1 percent medium prominent 10Y 4/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 4/6), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 10 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions; abrupt smooth boundary. Lab sample # 14N02438

4C--176 to 203 centimeters (69.3 to 79.9 inches); silty clay, brown (10YR 4/3), moist; massive; hard, firm, very sticky, very plastic; high toughness; high penetration resistance; high excavation difficulty; common fine roots throughout; common very fine moderate-continuity tubular and common very fine moderate-continuity irregular pores; 20 percent prominent slickensides (geogenic) on all faces of peds; 1 percent fine distinct spherical 10YR 2/1), moist, manganese masses with sharp boundaries throughout and 5 percent medium prominent 10Y 5/1), moist, iron depletions with clear boundaries on faces of peds and 25 percent medium prominent 7.5YR 5/8), moist, iron-manganese masses with clear boundaries on faces of peds; 10 percent subrounded 2 to 25-millimeter volcanic rock fragments; noneffervescent, by HCl, 1 normal; moderately alkaline, pH 8.0, pH indicator solutions. Lab sample # 14N02439

Credits: This megapit soil pedon description was generously created by USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service staff, with particular thanks to Larry West, Jon Hempel, and numerous field staff.

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